Ha Noi Traffic

But how do you cross the street?

On my first sight of the Ha Noi traffic, I recalled the hypnotizing display greeting visitors to the Monterrey Aquarium. A large school of sardines swims in unison in a continuous stream of silver. In Ha Noi, thousands of small motorbikes flow through the boulevard without any interruption or gaps. Spacing between bikes is so tight that some riders carry on a conversation while in motion. However, unlike the aquarium, this scene is not quiet. A prudent Vietnamese driver will produce a series of shrill honks aimed at any potential impediment. The combined sight and sound is mind numbing.

Traffic lights in Ha Noi are rare, so eventually you will face the need to cross the motorized river. Suddenly, the Sardines turn into Barracuda and you stand on the edge of the curb, frozen with fear. You watch the locals gracefully glide across. It's time to act.

Slow your breathing. Look for the slightest gap in traffic, and take the first step. Open your eyes. You are in the water, Barracuda swooshing within inches of your face, and you are still alive. On your second step, the motorbike that was going to run you over accelerates and swerves to the left. The next rider, slows a fraction, and swerves to the right. A protective bubble forms around you as you steadily move deeper. The bubble is also impervious to noise. Engine and horn sounds diminish, and disappear. You are in a meditative state. The traffic miraculously clears in front of you and resumes in your wake. That's how Moses must have felt.

Many Westerners never overcome their fear. They stand on the curb waiting for someone to go, and then join the journey on your lee side. The brave, with practice, improve their skills, but the act never becomes routine. Each time you climb unto the opposite curb, you feel that Adrenalin High.

So how do you cross a Ha Noi street? Very, very, slowly.